Wrench - Monday Musing, January 31, 2022

Dear Church,

Wrench. The expression, “Throw a wrench into the works,” is defined as causing problems that prevent something from happening in the way that it was planned. There’s nothing like a blizzard to throw a wrench in the works! Yesterday’s cancellation of Sunday worship has me thinking of this familiar expression. Worship was planned and ready to go, all that was needed was the implementation. Mother Nature had other plans.

Interestingly, the origin of the expression is said to refer to the Luddites – a secret oath-based organization of English textile workers in the 1800s. This radical group destroyed weaving machines as a form of protest. They were scared that if machines could take over their jobs then they would become obsolete. They protested against manufacturers who used machines in what they called “a fraudulent and deceitful manner” to get around standard labor practices. They were known to throw wrenches into the machines in order to damage them. While it is a Christian’s duty in civic affairs to hold powers to account for injustices, it is not recommended that the methods include breaking things!